The present invention is directed toward an improved method for manufacturing silicate compositions. More particularly, the described inventive technique is adaptable for utilization in catalytic and/or adsorbent support manufacturing.
Various types of catalytic compositions have found widespread utilization throughout the chemical, petroleum and petrochemical industries for effecting numerous conversions of reactants to more valuable products. Additionally, numerous adsorbents have been found to have a wide application in separation processes and/or purification processes. Typically, such catalytic compositions comprise heterogeneous catalysts. The heterogeneous catalyst consists of catalytic components typically supported on a catalyst base. This catalyst base or support may be inert or it may contribute to the overall catalytic reaction. Typical of the adsorbents having commercial application are the so-called molecular sieves. Many types of molecular sieves are known. Some molecular sieves comprise highly crystalline silicates comprising, for example, the zeolites. Molecular sieves generally have the peculiar property of preferentially adsorbing certain components from mixtures thus allowing them to be used in numerous separation processes. It should also be pointed out that certain molecular sieves may have catalytic properties and, therefore, may be used as heterogeneous catalysts. Irrespective of whether the molecular sieves are utilized as adsorbents or catalysts it has become the common practice to bind the molecular sieves within a support matrix thereby giving the adsorbent or catalytic composition desired properties like added increased strength, heat transfer capabilities, etc.
Typical of the compositions finding wide application as supports and/or binders is silica. Silica or silica-alumina have been widely used in the petroleum and petrochemical industries as catalyst supports and molecular sieve binders. Silica or silica-containing supports have been utilized in catalytic reforming, fluidized catalytic cracking, hydrocracking, and dehydrogenation processes. Moreover, silica or silica-containing binders have been utilized to bind molecular sieves for numerous separation and catalytic processes including fluidized catalytic cracking, the aromatization of light hydrocarbons, and the separation of the xylene isomers.
Because silica and silica-containing compositions have gained wide use in the chemical processing industries it is advantageous to develop new and simplified procedures for formulating silica-containing supports and molecular sieve binders.